Tag Archives: Walt Disney World

Scare Me, Mickey!

Day 244 in my hankering for hauntings at the Magic Kingdom when I meet up with Mickey (6 months and 4 days to go)

As I was eating my lentil soup at lunch today, I was checking out Facebook.  I was just about finished eating when I saw a post from Disney Dining that said “Tickets on Sale Today for Hard Ticket Events.”  And below it said, “Tickets on sale today for Mickey’s Fall Events!  GAH!  I quickly swallowed the last of my soup and made a mad dash for my office.  I logged onto My Disney Experience and booked our tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party on October 15.

That was not my plan for today to get ready for Walt Disney World in October, but it quickly became my plan!

This trip has always been something to look forward to, but now with my health issues, it has become a finish line of sorts.  When we are there and celebrating being together in the Happiest Place on Earth, I will be beyond the moon!  Woo hoo!

And speaking of health issues, my doctor called with good news for a change.  My thyroid biopsy shows that the nodules on my thyroid are benign.  What a lovely word…benign.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!

Beginning Again

Day 243 in my dash toward Disney and Mickey

The thing about having cancer is: it makes it so easy to feel sorry for yourself.  I want to make a concerted effort to STOP.  I don’t accept that cancer is now my life.  NO.  Philippians 1:21 says, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  So cancer is not my life; Christ and opportunities for him, are my life.

Today I rededicate myself to healthier living.  I will plan the next week’s menu.  I have to get back to more veggies, lean proteins and complex carbs.

No more pity eating.  No more giving in to sympathy pains in other parts of my body.  No more.  Nope!

Today is the day that I reclaim my life.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

Dreaming Disney

Day 241 in dreaming about Disney and meeting up with Mickey

My dear friends the Carlsons are at Disney World today.  As a matter of fact, they just texted me a photo of them sitting at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.  I can feel myself relax just looking at the photo.  This week I will live vicariously through them.

This is what Jean Carlson had to say about their trip: Heading out in the a.m. to see Mickey for a week at WDW…we’ve planned a little divine purpose into our trip. It has to do with you and your battle against cancer. Every ride we go on will begin with us lifting you up in prayer; strength, healing, and joy in Jesus name. When we see the Mouse in black, we’ll let him know you all are coming in October!

I can’t quit smiling.  That is the sweetest thing.  I am touched beyond words.  So my plan is to hold them up in prayer this week.  I pray they will have a time of relaxation and fun, and they will be blessed each day with the warmth of the sun, the warmth of being with family, the warmth of God smiling on them.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

Taking Time to Unwind

Day 239 in my ambling toward the Magic Kingdom and Mickey         (6 months and 9 days to go)

Well, I went all out yesterday and got my hair cut, treated myself to lunch AND had a manicure.

  1. Marina at JC Penney’s Styling Salon washed and trimmed my hair.  Isn’t it amazing how a haircut can make you feel like a new woman?  It was wonderful pampering.  As I was paying, I noticed they were selling nail polish themed on the new live-action Cinderella.  I bought “Ella of a Girl” which is a light pink and “Watch your Step, Sister” which is a darker pink.  Very Disney and very fun.
  2. Next it was lunch at “On the Border.”  They have a delicious “Tex Mex Cobb” salad.  Yum!  I wanna go back for a repeat!
  3. Finally I went to “Graphic Nails” and had the manicurist put “Ella of a Girl.” on my nails.

**Sigh**  It was a great day of pure pampering.

Today’s plan?  My plan today is to not have a plan for a change.  Just rest up and enjoy my day.  Just me, Kitty and some Disney TV.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

Life Is Good on Good Friday

Day 238 in my jaunt toward meeting up with Mickey

Today my plan is a little pampering.  I will go for a much needed haircut.  Then I might just treat myself to lunch or a manicure or a movie.  So many choices!  Have a blessed Good Friday, dear readers.  What a beautiful sacrifice, all for love of us!  Thank you, Lord!  We will worship tonight with our St. James family and remember.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: Kitty finally let me scratch her head a little bit.  She is so soft!  And last night for the first time she came and lay in her bed in the living room while Mike and I were watching some TV and falling asleep ourselves.  Domestic bliss!  🙂

Ahhh…Spring

Day 236 in my traipse toward talking with Mickey

Yay!  I don’t see any doctors today.  I don’t have any tests today.  Yay!  So my plan for today is to prepare a lovely, healthy dinner for my man and me.  I’m thinking maybe a chicken and bean stew.  It will be a new recipe for me.

It’s a beautiful spring day in the neighborhood, and I have a case of Spring Fever.  I wish I was at Disney’s Animal Kingdom today.  I would love to be on Kilimanjaro Safari right now, with plans to ride Kali River Rapids next.  I get so excited when I think that our trip is only 6 months and 12 days away.

My “Happy Place” right now, is hanging out on the boardwalk at Old Key West, sharing a basket of Conch Fritters and sipping on a drink with an umbrella in it!  Ahh…that is the life!  And my “Happy Thought” right now is that my surgery will be behind me and I will be well on my way to and through recovery.  Life is good, my friends, and God is even better!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

Preparing…

Day 230 in my preparations to get healthier to meet up with Mickey at the Magic Kingdom in October (6 months and 17 days to go)

Today my plan is to tie up some loose ends:

  1. Quick Taco Skillet Casserole–I promised to tell you what I thought of this recipe.  Mike and I really liked it.  It easily made enough for two dinners for the two of us, so we’re having the leftovers tonight.  It is basically glorified Spanish Rice.  But it does use quick brown rice and no added spices, so it didn’t shoot my blood sugar level up.  That is always a win!
  2. Thinking about and planning for our new kitty.  My friend Joan has two cats that fight something fierce.  Mike and I have agreed to give Mary Ann a  home with us, so by this weekend we will have a fuzzy friend living with us.  Pretty excited about that one!
  3. Organize a few more things for the Women’s Retreat (Cafe Chocolat) at our church next month.  I want to get as much ready as possible before my surgery.  (See #4 below)
  4. I see my oncologist tomorrow.  Hopefully after that meeting we can get my surgery scheduled.  The sooner that part is behind me, the better.  Talk about doing something to improve my health, right?  I’m pretty sure my health will improve dramatically when they cut out the cancer!  BTW: I wonder how much a uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries weigh…instant weight loss.  😉  However, I do NOT recommend this type of weight loss!  Honestly, People, if I can’t laugh about this whole thing, then I’ll just cry all the time.  I like laughing much better!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

Heart Medicine

Day 229 in my endeavors toward meeting up with Mickey in October (6months and 18 days to go)

Today’s plan is to go and spend time with a friend, Joan.  She is in a rehab center, recuperating from knee replacement surgery.  My plan for today is to go and see her after work.  She is always good for my heart. a real barefoot friend.  She loves me warts and all, and the feeling is mutual.

So today’s plan is balm for my soul.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

October Game Plan

Day 228 in thinking about hanging with Mickey in October

Today’s plan is to think about what I definitely want to experience at the parks in October.

Magic Kingdom (My absolute favorite park!)

  1. Under the Sea-Journey of the Little Mermaid
  2. 7 Dwarves Mine Train
  3. Peter Pan’s Flight
  4. Mad Tea Party
  5. Splash Mountain
  6. Big Thunder Mountain Rail Road
  7. Pirates of the Caribbean
  8. The Haunted Mansion
  9. Carousel of Progress
  10. And the best ride ever-It’s a Small World

EPCOT

  1. Soarin’
  2. Spaceship Earth
  3. The Seas with Nemo and Friends
  4. Universe of Energy
  5. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
  6. France’s Movie

Disney Hollywood Studios

  1. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
  2. The Great Movie Ride
  3. Muppet Vision 3D
  4. Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
  5. Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
  6. Toy Story Midway Mania
  7. Voyage of the Little Mermaid
  8. The Magic of Disney Animation

Animal Kingdom

  1. Dinosaur
  2. Festival of the Lion King
  3. Finding Nemo-The Musical
  4. Kali River Rapids
  5. Kilimanjaro Safari
  6. Primeval Whirl

I get so jacked up thinking about it that I can hardly stand it.  And there’s even something that I am more excited about than all of the above: shaking Mickey’s hand and having my picture taken with him.  Woo hoo!

Meet you the Kingdom!

Cooking Up a Plan

Day 225 in cooking my way to a healthier me to pose with Mickey at the Magic Kingdom in October

Today is all about a recipe.  I may have mentioned this book before.  It’s called Betty Crocker 30 Minute Meals for Diabetes.  As I am pre-diabetic, I try to eat as diabetes-friendly as possible.   This book has been a real Godsend.  So tonight’s new recipe is Quick Taco Skillet Casserole.  I like quick, I like tacos and I like casseroles, so it sounds like a winner to me.

The prep time is 25 minutes for 6 servings.

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pound (extra-lean) ground beef
  2. 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
  3. 1 and a half cups uncooked instant brown rice
  4. 1 cup chunky-style salsa
  5. 1 and a half cups of water
  6. 1 can (14.5 to 16 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained, cut up
  7. 1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained
  8. 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

Directions:

  1. In a 12-inch skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain well.  Return beef mixture to skillet.
  2. Stir in remaining ingredients.  Heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-high; cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed and rice is tender.  Stir before serving.

Sounds great, right?  I’ll let you know how it tastes.  Meet you at the Kingdom!